Mount Allison extends president’s term, approves budget for 2014-15

SACKVILLE, N.B. – At Mount Allison’s spring board meeting on May 13, the university’s board of regents voted unanimously to extend president Robert Campbell’s current contract by a period of two years.

With this extension, Campbell will serve as university president through June 2018.

“I am honoured to acknowledge the board’s ongoing trust and look forward to continuing to lead this great university,” said Campbell.

Following the board meeting, Jim Dickson, chair of the board stated: “This extension reflects the board’s complete confidence in president Campbell’s leadership and in the direction he, along with his senior team, has set for the university.

“The Board also recognizes that Mount Allison’s strength lies in the contributions of everyone in our diverse community – our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents, as well as the residents of Sackville and the province of New Brunswick. This gives the board great confidence in the university’s ongoing ability to thrive.”

At the same meeting, the board of regents also approved the 2014-15 operating budget. This is the university’s 23rd consecutive balanced operating budget.

Tuition for full-time Canadian students will increase by $219, as per the tuition cap allowed by the New Brunswick government, to $7,464 for full-time Canadian students.

“Mount Allison will continue to offer one of the most generous scholarship and bursary programs, per capita, in the Maritimes, with $2.6 million allocated to assist students this year,” said Campbell.

“Mount Allison is committed to fulfilling its academic mission and providing high-quality programming in a sustainable manner with no long-term debt. This allows us to focus our resources on a compelling student experience, an accomplished faculty engaged in teaching and research, and one of the lowest student-teacher ratios in Canada.”

The board also received a presentation from the Mount Allison Students’ Union (MASU), requesting the university reconsider its decision not to offer a tuition rebate following the three-week strike earlier this year.

Board members – including representatives from student, faculty, and administration – discussed the topic in detail.

“The discussion was frank and open,” said Dickson, “with a wide range of views expressed. ”

The board reconfirmed there would be no university-wide tuition rebate; however it agreed to create a working group with membership from the board, students, and administration. This group has been tasked to thoroughly review and assess what other approaches might be warranted to support students most adversely affected as a result of the work stoppage.